


A Serpents Tale

by Amyrose47



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Bar Fight, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Memories, Multiple chapters, Poor Joaquin, Sad, Self-Hatred, You Have Been Warned, just let him be happy, please?, rough childhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-07-15 14:41:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16065263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amyrose47/pseuds/Amyrose47
Summary: Joaquin uses his time on the bus to San Junipero to think about where everything went wrong, and where everything went right.





	1. Where everything went wrong

**Author's Note:**

> The areas marked with ***** are memories. Also, prepare to be sad. The next chapter is happier, I promise!

As Joaquin stared solemnly out the window on the bus to San Junipero, memories flooded him...

 

*****"Here." FP said and threw the duffel bag at him. "Stash it somewhere safe." He ordered. Joaquin grabbed the bags handle and stood, walking to the trailer door in silence. "How's things goin' with the Keller kid?" FP questioned before he could leave. Joaquin stopped and looked at FP. "It's good. He thinks were legit." He said bitterly. "Right on. We're goin' to need that inside line with the sheriff." FP responded. Joaquin looked down at the duffel and shifted his weight unevenly. He wanted to say something, but he wasn't sure he should. "What? You gotta problem?" FP asked. Joaquin drew in a deep breath. "He likes me, you know. For real." He shrugged. FP actually laughed in his face. "Ah, you're breakin' my heart." FP joked, "We all got a part to play, including me."***** 

 

*****"Joaquin, do you know something? I'm not asking as your boyfriend, I'm asking as the sheriff's son. Did FP kill Jason?" Joaquin was quiet for a moment. He knew he'd been backed into a corner. Still the way Kevin asked him cut deep. "Yeah." He sighed. "I mean, I assume." Veronica, Archie, and Kevin responded in unison, "Oh my God!" "Did you see him pull the trigger?" Veronica pressed. "No. No. God, no." He answered. "Then why do you think he did it?" Archie questioned. Joaquin bit his cheek and pulled his hands together in a clasp before he spoke. This was it. "On July 11th, I got a phone call in the middle of the night from FP. Said he needed help with some clean up job at the Whyte Wyrm." He began. "What job?" Kevin asked, shaking his head in disbelief. Joaquin stared at his hands and then looked up at the trio. "The basement of the Whyte Wyrm is off limits. To everyone. That's where I met FP. That's where I saw...he'd been shot. I never asked FP if he...if he did it. I just...I mean, I was terrified. I...I just assumed. We stashed the body in the freezer. Cleaned up the mess. Got rid of any evidence." He laid out. "You. are. a. criminal." Kevin stated, voice wavering from the onset of tears. The way Kevin spat out the last word crushed him to his very core.***** 

 

Tears welled up in Joaquin's eyes, threatening to fall. How did he think this was going to end? He was mostly hoping that they'd never get caught. 

 

*****"You've really gotta tell your friends to stop before they get hurt." Joaquin had just told Kevin not more than thirty minutes ago. "You really don't know them at all, do you?" Kevin chuckled in response. "Just like I don't know you." He said. Joaquin just nodded, and made his way to the bus. "Joaquin." Kevin called, turning around and grabbing him by his jacket for one last kiss.*****

 

"Just like I don't know you" Kevin's voice echoed in his mind. He deserved that, even though it was only partly true. Nothing about their relationship was ever fake. Truths were withheld, but his feelings toward the sheriff's son were genuine. Hell, the first night they met sparks flew, and that was before he knew who the taller boy was. If I had known... But Joaquin squashed that train of thought immediately. There was a million things he would have done differently, but what's done is done. Joaquin sighed. His breath fogged up the window and he sat back into his seat. 'Keep it together.' He told himself. You can do this. You're a Serpent for God's sake. But leaving Riverdale meant also leaving his Serpent family. He had just lost everything, his whole life, in one foul swoop. 'Don't think too hard about it. Don't look back, look forward.' His mind told him. 'To what?' He countered himself. Joaquin roughly rubbed his face with his hands. Who was he trying to kid? There was nothing for him in San Junipero, just an empty life of trying to survive but not really living.

His mind skipped back to the beginning of it all, the beginning of his life. His mother was a serious drug addict. When Joaquin was born his tiny body went through violent withdrawals. Pain and anguish. That's all he'd known of life his first few weeks on this Earth. Fitting for what would follow. He was taken from his mother and placed in foster care. He went through new families every couple of years. Some would try to help him but most just used him for the extra income. Twice he had been placed in an abusive home. In fact, his first memory was when his foster father at the time hit him so hard with a broom stick that he broke a few ribs. By the time Joaquin had turned ten he ended up living with a South Side family that were Serpents. By then, Joaquin had developed a tough skin and he was talented in taking things that weren't his. He managed to fit right in with the Serpents. He finally had a place to belong. Even after he inevitably moved again, he stayed a member of the gang. They were the only real constant in his life. They made sure he didn't go hungry and that he learned how to protect himself. He promised to always do right by them, no matter what. So he did. He stole for them, he lied, cheated, and hustled for them. He pulled his own weight. That's why when FP called him in to help clean up a body, there were no questions asked. Joaquin eventually became known as the silent Serpent, since he didn't talk much. Everyone knew better than to fuck with him though. Joaquin had shut that shit down from the get go. The first kid that tried it after he became an official member ended up getting his teeth knocked in. So when Joaquin let his sexual orientation be known nobody questioned it or made any remarks about it. Once Joaquin was old enough to be interested in sex, he would fool around in dark lit back alleyways with guys he barely knew. One time a guy that had lured him into the alleyway, under the false pretense of sex, and pulled a knife on him. He never feared for his life though, even when it was threatened, because the world would go on spinning without him. All of that changed the night he cornered Kevin at the drive-in. 

 

***** "Shhhhh!" Kevin angrily ordered the Serpents from the back of a pick up truck. The crowd of gang members laughed and mocked being scared. Then Veronica threatened them and they all quieted down. Joaquin kept his gaze on Kevin during the whole exchange. He watched as Kevin left the truck and walked over to the food stand. Joaquin passed the popcorn to the girl on his left and then he followed. "Not so tough without your beard, huh?" He asked when Kevin turned around, snacks in tow. The taller boy was startled and didn't respond. Joaquin leaned forward and quietly asked, "Wanna forget this movie and fool around instead?". Next thing you know, snacks and drinks had been abandoned on the way to a more private spot along the chain link fence that surrounded the back of the property. An old building behind them also aided in their concealment. Their hands gripped each other's jackets and they kissed hot and heavy for a while. "Okay, okay. This time I really need to go." Kevin said between kisses. Joaquin wasn't planning on letting him go just yet and he leaned in for another kiss. "I'm Joaquin, by the way." "Give me your phone." Kevin ordered. It took Joaquin by surprise in the best way. He produced his phone and Kevin took it, typing away. "This. Is my number. Use it." He instructed, shoving the phone into the shorter boy's chest. Joaquin looked at the new contact. "Kev...Keller? As...as in Sheriff Keller?" He asked, his voice higher than usual. "Is that a problem?" Kevin questioned. Joaquin looked around and then down to his arm. He pulled up his jacket sleeve to reveal his double headed serpent tattoo. "Is...Is this a problem?" Kevin twisted his mouth in thought for a moment. "I won't tell if you won't."*****

 

The Serpent tattoo wasn't a problem until it was. Joaquin never intended to fall hard for the sheriff's son...it just...happened. Once FP got ahold of the word that Joaquin made out with the boy, well, he was tasked as a Serpent to relay information and to steer away accusations. Joaquin obeyed of course, but it got harder and harder as his feelings for Kevin grew deeper. And it didn't take long at all for him to fall head over heels. Not only were they physically attracted to each other, but Joaquin made Kevin laugh and Kevin made him feel special, wanted. It brought out feelings that he'd never experienced before and for the first time in his life, Joaquin saw a future for himself. He had looked forward to the days ahead and in this new world he found that his troubles slipped away. But reality came crashing down all at once, and HARD. Many things in Joaquin's life had been unpleasant, but what transpired over the last couple of weeks was just relentlessly cruel. To have a taste of something so eternally blissful just to have it ripped away in the end. It was unfair, and Joaquin sat on the bus feeling buried in every kind of negative emotion. It was crushing and he couldn't help it, tears fell freely down his face.


	2. Where everything went right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joaquin arrives to San Junipero. He samples the town, but the good memories of his time with Kevin keep pushing to the surface. He needs to make a decision about his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let us never forget that Joaquin is complete and total Badass.

Joaquin watched as the scenery passed by in a blur. He had just woken up from a restless nap a few minutes ago. His head ached, a reminder that he had lost his cool and started crying earlier on in the bus ride. He let out a loud sigh and raised his feet, crossing them over the seat in front of him. Another passenger scoffed and gave him a dirty look. Joaquin flipped him off, biting his lower lip and leaning forward for effect. Just daring him to do something about it. The man got up and moved to a different seat. 'That's what I thought.' For a while he let his mind go numb as he stared intently out the window. The bus rambled on, often bouncing from the rough road. Joaquin bit at a fingernail in boredom. When he caught himself doing it, he returned both hands to his lap. Another loud sigh escaped him. He wondered what the gang was up to. Namely Fangs, Sweet Pea, Toni, and Jughead. They knew Joaquin had to flee for his own protection. Still, Fangs and Sweet Pea had told him that he would be missed. And Joaquin was going to miss them too. Fangs, Sweet Pea, and Toni were the closest to family that he had ever gotten. Jughead, well, he wasn't as close with him before, but through Kevin and Toni he ended up building a small friendship with the other Serpent. 

Nightfall came too soon and his destination of San Junipero loomed in the distance. Other passengers began putting away their books and belongings. Joaquin watched in silence as the bus came to a halt. After everyone else had exited the bus, he stood up and slung his backpack over his shoulder. His feet carried him to the door and then off the steps, and then they kept going. Joaquin had no idea where he was going to go, but he walked confidently anyway. Old habit, I guess, you don't want to get caught looking like you're lost on the South Side of Riverdale. He walked through the main part of town and then kept going. After a while he could hear waves crashing against sand and so he followed the sound to a nearby beach. This was the first time Joaquin had ever been to a beach. He felt out of place, like a rogue puzzle piece that didn't fit. His combat boots allowed him to walk over the sand swiftly, to a boardwalk that he had spotted. Once underneath, he tossed his backpack down onto the sand and then himself next to it. He listened to the sound of the ocean and he wondered what Kevin would think about this place. Joaquin could image Kevin dressed in the finest resort attire, sipping drinks on a patio overlooking the waves. It made him smile. What he wouldn't give to the guy sipping drinks along with him. Joaquin grabbed his bag and placed it like a pillow, laying down and watching the stars come out through the spaces in the boardwalk above him. Memories of laying under the stars with Kevin played through his mind peacefully. Lots of other memories of his boyfri...ex-boyfriend waxed and waned across his mind. Kevin had made him feel so...different than usual. More relaxed. Happier. Like he belonged somewhere. He even made him feel safe, which was a bit ironic. Joaquin fell asleep with a grin still on his face. 

When Joaquin woke it was the middle of the day. He sat up, immediately regretting having slept in the sand because now it was everywhere. He brushed off the annoying little grains and watched the scene in front of him. Beach-goers littered the coastline now that the sun was high in the sky. Adults relaxed on towels or chairs while children played and teenagers tried to show off. He watched an older boy pour a bucket of water on a younger boy. A woman near them stood up and scalded the older one. Other people were walking along the beach, leaving footprints as they went. A young women not far from him stopped, she stared over at him inquisitively before continuing on. 'So.' Joaquin thought, 'Now what?' 

He walked back into town with his clothes leaking sand behind him. He felt like he would never get rid of the stuff. He passed some tourist-y little beach shops, a decently sized food store, and a movie theater. But the further he went into town, the more run down things became. He stopped for a bite to eat when he came upon a small hole in the wall kinda place. The people and the food there were decent. Continuing his walk he passed a mechanic's shop, some neglected houses, and then he spotted the local bar. A worn out sign in front read Silver Shark Bar. 'Bingo.' The door loudly protested as he entered. Joaquin's eyes had to adjust from the bright sunlight to the shadowy dank gathering place. There was a bar with a decent stash of liquor lining the wall behind it. Some tables sat scattered around near an empty space, probably for dancing. In the corner there were four pool tables that were well worn from all the games played over time. It wasn't all that different from what the Whyte Wyrm looked like. Joaquin sat on a bar stool and surveyed the liquor on the shelves. "Can I getcha anything?" The bartender asked while scrubbing some glasses. It was nearing four o'clock now and the bar was mostly empty. Joaquin cleared his throat. "Whiskey Sour." He answered. The bartender raise an eyebrow but then he nodded. Maybe it was a little bit early for something that strong but Joaquin couldn't find it in him to care. The bartender turned around and mixed the concoction skillfully. Joaquin simply sat in silence and watched. Normally he might have flirted with the guy behind the counter, but things weren't normal and he didn't bother trying. "Whiskey Sour." The bartender announced, placing the drink in front of Joaquin. A nod was all Joaquin could muster in response. The other guy stood there for a moment studying Joaquin, but then he was called away by another patron in the bar. After about a minute of staring at his drink, Joaquin brought a hand up to the glass and used his fingers to trace circle's around the rim. He had done the exact same thing with a popcorn bucket the night he met Kevin. God, the way Kevin had kissed him that night was fucking magical. Joaquin may have had him pushed up against the fence, but Kevin pushed back against him, bodies grinding together. Kevin wasn't the least bit shy about what he wanted. The thought sent a chill down Joaquin's spine and he could feel himself getting aroused at the memory. 'Damn it'. He then proceeded to knock back his drink, barely tasting it. 'Fuck it', he thought. "Hey, Bar keep." He called. The guy looked up from his current conversation with the other patron. "Whiskey Double this time." Joaquin was going to get hammered tonight. 

As the day went on, the bar became more and more crowded. Joaquin stayed for a few hours, drinking, hustling at the pool tables, and flirting with the bartender after he was smashed. It almost felt like he was back at the Whyte Wyrm. Joaquin was content for a while, feeling good from the alcohol as well as winning some money off of strangers at the pool tables. The drunker Joaquin got, the more he flirted with the pretty boy bartender. The bartender flirted back, but he made it clear that he wouldn't fool around with Joaquin unless he was a lot more sober. Some douche-bag at the bar caught the tail end of that conversation and started talking shit with his buddy about queers being "Unnatural." He didn't even try to be quiet about it. "Wanna say that to my face asshole?" Joaquin challenged. His anger went from zero to sixty less than a second. "Excuse me?" The thirty-something year old asked, surprised by the question. There must not be a lot of gay people in this town, or at least not any that stand up for themselves. "I said. Say it. To my face. You ass. Hole." He spat, walking over to the idiot with a death wish. "Geez. Okay. Sorry..." He said putting his hands up defensively. Damn. Joaquin was hoping to rearrange that dumbass' face with his fists. "ANYONE ELSE GOTTA PROBLEM WITH ME BEING GAY?" Joaquin shouted, turning in a circle, challenging everyone at once. Silence dropped over the bar. "ANYONE?!?" Not a word was said. Joaquin walked back up to the bar and threw money on the counter to pay for his drinks. Once he was headed out the door, the crowd started buzzing with conversations again. The cool early night air hit Joaquin in the face. It felt nice against the alcohol-induced warmth of his skin. He found himself heading to the alleyway behind the bar. There was a big dumpster there, some broken glass littered the ground, and some old brick buildings lined the opposite side of the alley. Joaquin saw an old five gallon bucket with sand, ashes, and cigarette butts in it. Perfect. He dumped the contents into the dumpster and then set the bucket on the ground upside down. He sat on the make shift seat and opened the front zipper on his backpack to grab a pack of cigarettes. Joaquin heard some guys coming out of the bar, hollering a bunch of nonsense. He shrugged to himself and opened the pack he pulled from his bag. He slid a cigarette out and put it in his mouth, and then returned the pack to it's home. He then produced a lighter from his jacket pocket. As he lit his cigarette, the yelling intensified. They must be about to pass by. Joaquin dragged on the little white stick in his mouth, before he grabbed it between his index and middle finger and pulled it out. He exhaled a cluster of heavy smoke with a cough. The hollering from the bar group stopped suddenly. He looked over to see four guys standing at the start of the alleyway. They glanced at each other and then made their way toward Joaquin. "Hey, Faggot!" One of them called, and Joaquin was already on his feet. Meeting the group head-on, he didn't bother with shit talking. His fist collided with one of the guys' face and he went down like a ton of bricks. This pissed off the remaining trio, and they all came at Joaquin at once. Several punches rained down on Joaquin but they did little to slow him down. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and he elbowed the closest guy in the nose. He heard the crunch of the guy's nose breaking and blood gushed from his face. He stumbled backward and ran off. Another guy caught Joaquin square on his jaw, before shoving him into the wall to wail on him. A hard knee to the balls later and the scales were evened to a one on one. The last guy hesitated and then pulled back, running off so that he didn't end up like his friends. Joaquin let out a harsh laugh. He bent down to pick up his still burning cigarette from the ground and gruesomely put it out on the KO'd douche bag's arm. Then he placed a new cigarette in his mouth and lit it, walking out of the alleyway and onto the side of the road. 

"Hey! You can't sleep here!" Joaquin woke with a groan. A police officer stood above him. "Did you hear me? You need to scram, kid." Joaquin tried to stand but fell over. His knees were wobbly and his body was a bit sore. On the second attempt, Joaquin managed to stand and stay on his feet. "Geez, kid. You want me to call somebody? I can give you a ride to the station and we can call your parents." Joaquin took a deep breath to steady himself. He shook his head no at the question. "Don't have any." He said plainly, before walking away. Where was he? He felt completely disoriented and the hang over didn't help. The sun was up and it was assaulting his eyes. Dark. He needed to find somewhere dark. He looked at his surroundings. There was a park across the street, some businesses behind him, and houses up ahead. There weren't very many people around. What day of the week was it? Oh, well. He went into the nearest business, a doctor's office to ask for directions to the Silver Shark. The reception looked at him like he grew a second head, but she still told him how he could get there. It wasn't all that far and in no time he stood at the front door. When he tried to push it open, however, it didn't budge. Shit. It must be too early. He decided to peak through a window to see if anyone was in there. Didn't look like it, Joaquin went behind the building to the alleyway. There was a small patch of blood stained dirt on the ground, where Joaquin had broken that jerk's nose. He smiled to himself but it sent a pain to his jaw, reminding him that he had taken a few hits too. Joaquin tried the back door and much to his surprise, it opened. He made his way inside and found the men's room. After he relieved himself, he stood at the sinks and checked himself out in the mirror. He had a nice bruise on the side of his jaw and a cut on his lip. Not bad for taking on four dudes. Joaquin brought his head down to the sink and gulped down some of the running water. Then, he splashed some on his face. That's better. He turned the water off and headed out the door. Except there was another person on the other side and he ran straight into him. The other guy let out a startled yelp. "What are you doing in here?" He demanded. Then he followed it up with, "Oh, Joaquin." Huh? Oh. It was the bartender from last night. "Yeah, sorry. I just needed to wash up." Joaquin answered. "So, you broke into the bar to do it?" the bartender inquired. Joaquin needed to learn the guy's name. Maybe he already had, but last night was kind of a blur. "I'm not sure if I got your name last night." He said, completely ignoring the question. "It's Ripley." The guy replied. "Wow. You were really out of it last night." He added with a chuckle. "Yeah. Rough last couple of days." Joaquin said. "Well, we're not open for a few more hours." Ripley informed. Then he looked Joaquin up and down for a moment. "You're welcome to stay though, if you help me with some tasks." He offered. The next hour consisted of some cleaning and a lot of questions from Ripley, that only received vague answers. Joaquin was refilling bowls with peanuts when Ripley told him that the bar was hiring. "I'll have to think about it." He told him. 

Back at the ocean front, Joaquin sat on a bench and watched the waves roll in. It was calming. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. This town wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be. He could see himself working at the bar, possibly joining a new gang, and finding a few guys to hook up with. 'Or I could go back to Riverdale, beg Kevin for forgiveness, and massively increase my chances of going to jail.' His mind chimed in. It seemed he was at a cross road and he needed to decide which path to take. Joaquin closed his eyes and imagined what his life could be like if he did go back. The possibilities were endless. Kevin could be angry enough with him to turn him into his dad. Covering up a crime, tampering with evidence, and impeading an investigation. He would be behind bars for a very long time. On the other hand, Kevin might be relieved to see Joaquin. Happy, even. Joaquin would lay his heart out on the line and promise to never lie to him again. They would finish school, he would get an honest job, and hope to spend the rest of his days making it up to Kevin. Or maybe Kevin wouldn't want to talk to him at all, and he would still be putting himself at risk being back in Riverdale. "You. are. a. Criminal." Kevin's voice echoed in his mind. Still, Kevin had kissed him hard before Joaquin boarded the bus to San Junipero. Memories of kissing Kevin flooded his mind, putting a stupid grin on his face. The last few months had been the happiest time of Joaquin's life. Was the chance of being with Kevin again worth the risk?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See! Happier! I didn't mean to make the chapter so long, but I thoroughly enjoy adding to Joaquin's character, since the writer's of the show didn't give us much to work with.


	3. So, What Comes Next?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a little help from Ripley, Joaquin decides his next move and goes for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the obnoxiously long wait. I've been on vacation visiting family. Also, with this story I specifically left out the details of Ripley's appearance. We all have different ideas of "Cute" or "Hot", so let your imagination take you where it will. Enjoy!

It had been over a week since Joaquin had arrived in San Junipero and the Silver Shark Bar was quickly becoming his regular hang out spot. He spent most days helping Ripley get ready for opening time. It's not like he had much else to do. "Hey, you okay?" the cute bartender asked, interrupting Joaquin's current thoughts. "Huh? Yeah." He replied, clearing his throat. "Yep." He nodded. "You should fill out an application. You know, so you can get PAID for the work you're doing around here." Ripley stated. Joaquin sighed. He stopped wiping down the table he was working on and instead collapsed into a nearby booth. The only reason he hadn't applied for the job was because he didn't know if he was staying in this town yet. Ripley sensed that something was off and so he made his way over to join him. He sat down in the booth and scooted next to Joaquin. Closer than was necessary, but Joaquin didn't mind. He subconsciously reached an arm up to lay across the back of the booth behind Ripley. Then he brought his other other arm up, rested his elbow on the table, and allowed his thumb to travel over his lips in thought. Once decided on what to say Joaquin dropped his hand from his mouth and attempted to speak. But before he could get any words out, Ripley closed the space between them and kissed him. Joaquin hesitated at first, but then gave in and kissed him back. It started off gentle and unhurried, but with every passing second the kiss increased in intensity. It was as if a spark had been lit, and it rapidly ignited something between them. Joaquin reached a hand up to rest behind Ripley's neck, pulling him in closer and deepening the kiss. Ripley's hands traveled upward to grasp at the lapels of Joaquin's leather jacket. The kiss became desperate and oh so needy. Their hands freely explored and groped. They kissed like this until they both needed to come up for air. Joaquin bit down hard on the other man's lower lip, winning a slight gasp from him. They broke apart for a moment, catching their breath. "Mmm. Damn Joaquin." Ripley praised, voice dripping with lust. "If you fuck the way you kiss...then God help me." He said with a naughty grin. "I...I'm sorry, Ripley." Joaquin told him, still breathing heavily. "It's just...I want to. God, I want to but, I just...I can't." He explained. Ripley eyed Joaquin up and down and licked his lips, but then nodded knowingly in response. It didn't take a genius to know what was going on. He took a steadying breath before asking, "What's his name?" Joaquin didn't answer for a while. "Kevin." He said finally. Ripley nodded solemnly. They held each others gaze for a while, but the look Ripley gave Joaquin made his heart feel heavy. There was such sadness there, such...pity. Joaquin didn't like it at all. He shook his head, effectively breaking their eye contact. "I just, I know how it feels to miss someone." Ripley said quietly. "...and to wish you could replace them with someone else." He stood from the booth and shoved his hands through his hair in a half-hearted attempt to fix it. An awkward silence fell between them. "Maybe I can't get over him. But...I don't know, maybe I don't want to either." Joaquin said. And despite himself, he smiled. He had his answer now.

Joaquin didn't waste another minute. He promptly put Ripley and the Silver Shark behind him and headed to the bus station. As soon as he got there he bought a ticket to Riverdale. "Bus isn't scheduled to leave until 9pm." The lady at the ticket window informed him. 'Well, what should I do for the next several hours then?' He wondered. As he walked outside he considered calling Kevin from the pay phone, but what would he say? Besides, he'd rather say everything in person. Still, he could get a cheap cell phone from a nearby shop to at least text Kevin that he was coming. Would that play into his favor? Should he give Kevin time to think, or should he just make Kevin confront all of his feelings at once by showing up unannounced? He sighed and leaned against the brick wall of the bus station. Pondering that last thought, he put his bus ticket into his back pack and grabbed a pack of cigarettes stored in the same pocket. He lifted the lid on the pack to see that it was almost empty. "Fuckin' Great." He cursed, taking one out and putting the rest away. He put the cigarette in his mouth and then reached into his pocket for a lighter. He had picked up quite a few stranded ones at the bar. He lit the cigarette and drew heavily on it before retracting it with his pointer and middle finger. A huge cloud of smoke escaped his lungs on the exhale. He watched it rise and disappear into the air. When he brought the cigarette back to his lips, he realized his hand was shaking. He took another drag, now wishing that there was some weed in it to calm his nerves. Instead, nicotine filled his system and he managed to relax, if only slightly. By the time Joaquin put out the butt end of his cigarette, he decided that he wasn't going to give any sort of warning of his arrival. He wanted to keep the advantage of catching Kevin off guard. He then proceeded to walk over a couple of blocks to a corner store and bought a carton of cigarettes, gum, and some snacks. When he paid for the items, he noticed he was getting low on cash. "Hey, do you have the time?" He asked the cashier. "It's a quarter 'til two." The guy replied flatly. "Thanks." He said, shoving the stuff into his bag and tossing it over his shoulder. Joaquin had plenty of time to go collect some extra money. He walked back towards the Silver Shark Bar. There was a relatively small gas station nearby, where he had gotten to know some of the workers. As he approached he saw an older dark blue ford parked out front. That was Darren's car. A smile played on Joaquin's face. This was going to be easy. He waited to make sure it was clear, and then he grabbed his switch blade from his back pack. He skillfully flipped it open and as inconspicuously as possible he slashed the rear two tires of the worker's car. Then he closed the knife and returned it to his bag. The door to the gas station chimed as Joaquin entered the store. He only came through the door halfway and then he hollered, "Darren?" The man was behind the counter, cashing someone out. "Yeah?" He answered while still tending to the customer. "That's your blue Ford out front, isn't it?" He asked. "Yeah. Why?" He asked looking over to Joaquin, bewildered. "Dude. Somebody slashed your tires." He said feigning disbelief. "WHAT?!? Hold on Ma'am, I'll be right back." He told the customer. "Hey, bring your cell, you're probably going to want to call a tow." Joaquin advised. Darren darted into a back room and quickly emerged with his phone. As he neared the door Joaquin told him, "Don't worry about the customers, man. I'll handle the register for you." Darren nodded. "Thanks Joaquin. I owe ya." And then he leaned over to whisper the register's security code to him. Bingo. 'Too easy.' He thought. It almost made him feel bad. Joaquin finished up with the lady at the register, helped ring up the only other customer in the store, and then he was alone at last. He scanned a candy bar to open the register and lifted the money tray to get access to the bigger bills underneath. He slipped the $400 he found into his pocket and replaced the tray. No one would notice until closing time, and by then Joaquin would be long gone. 

After the trip to the gas station, Joaquin returned to the bus station. He sat on a bench and retrieved a book to read from his back pack. By the time his bus to was ready to load, Joaquin was already halfway through the novel. However, once he was on the bus he couldn't seem to focus anymore. He kept losing his spot and rereading paragraphs. Finally he just sighed and put the book away. Joaquin's mind roamed, drowning in all the 'What if' scenarios of this crazy endeavor. The thoughts put his nerves on edge and he found himself clenching his jaw or holding tension in his shoulders. 'Relax, keep it together.' He kept reminding himself. Still, the closer he got to Riverdale, the more his nerves persisted. He tried to think of what he might say to Kevin, but decided that it would be more genuine if he was winging it. Halfway through the night, Joaquin managed to fall asleep. When he woke, the sun was well into the sky. The bus pulled up to a stop and the driver announced that they would be arriving at the Riverdale station in a few hours. Joaquin grabbed his bag and headed outside for a quick smoke while new people were loading onto the bus. He only got a couple of drags on it though before the bus driver called out to him. "Come on, we're going." He put his cigarette out, run a hand quickly through his hair, and climbed back onto the bus. He sat back into his seat, closed his eyes, and thought about the good memories of Kevin. He thought about the way Kevin looked at him. Never with pity, but with encouragement and expectation. He had held him at a higher standard than anyone else ever had. It's too bad he failed to exceed them. Hell, to even meet them at all. He thought about how happy Kevin was to finally have a real boyfriend. Kevin loved saying the word. Every chance he got to introduce Joaquin to someone new, he would introduce him as his boyfriend. It made Joaquin feel amazing. He thought about the night of Jughead's birthday party. How he and Kevin had gone down to Sweet Water River after they left Archie's house. The memory of fooling around by the river made Joaquin grin stupidly. 'Damn it.' But it also made his nervousness melt away, and replaced it with longing. Oh God. He was in deep with that tall preppy boy. But that just made him grin even harder. 

The final hours on the bus seemed to crawl. They finally made it to Riverdale just as the evening was setting in. This time Joaquin didn't wait for anyone. He was off the bus in a flash, heading straight for the pay phone. He called for a taxi, who was at the bus station promptly. Joaquin opened the back door and hopped in, tossing his bag on the seat next to him. The driver looked at him questioningly through the rear-view mirror. "Don't worry. I can pay." Joaquin assured him. The driver scoffed. "I'm sure you can. Where you headin'?" Joaquin thought about that. Probably shouldn't have the driver take him directly to the sheriff's house. He ended up asking to be dropped off at a street intersection a few blocks away. That really earned him a look. "Okay then." Was the driver's reply. He started the meter and took off down the road. Joaquin sat silently in the back for the entire ride. The driver looked up at the rear-view mirror several times to look Joaquin over. The Serpent could see the man's mind working diligently to figure out what he could possibly be up to. He flashed him a mischievous grin just for shits and giggles. When they finally pulled up to the intersection, Joaquin retrieved money from his back pack and paid the man, giving him a small tip for getting him there quickly. "Thanks!" The driver exclaimed before adding, "Don't go causing too much trouble now, young man." Joaquin chuckled at that and then headed towards Kevin's house. This was it. He couldn't believe he was doing this. I mean, going to the Keller house, it was like walking right into a lion's den. 'Lord help me.' He thought ironically. But his pace never faltered and soon he was in front of the house. Joaquin took a moment to prepare himself and then knocked loudly on the door twice. He could hear voices and footsteps from the inside. "Are you expecting someone?" He heard the sheriff ask, muffled. Joaquin had hoped he wouldn't be home tonight. So much for that. The door swung swiftly open. Joaquin stood with his shoulders back and head high, ready for anything. It was Sheriff Keller that opened the door. "Hi. Can I help you?" He asked. Joaquin swallowed roughly and looked past the sheriff, hoping to get a glimpse of Kevin but to no avail. "Hey." He greeted. "I'm, uh, I'm here to speak to Kevin actually." The sheriff crossed his arms and looked him up and down disapprovingly. "Remind me of your name, son. I've met a lot of Serpents on the wrong side of the interrogation table." Joaquin shifted uncomfortably. Fuck. He was hoping that the sheriff wouldn't remember him. Looks like luck wasn't on his side tonight. "Right." He said, ignoring the fact that his insides were screaming at him to just go. "I'm Joaquin." He said. "Joaquin." Mr.Keller repeated before taking a step back. "Santos, right?" He questioned before turning and gesturing to Joaquin to come in. "DeSantos." Joaquin corrected as he crossed the threshold. Damn, what a memory. God, with this luck he would be behind bars before morning. "Ah. And what business do you have with my son?" He asked, closing the front door behind them. "I, uh, well..." Joaquin started. Just then footsteps sounded from the stairwell as Kevin descended them. "Who was at the door?" He asked on his way down. Rounding the corner, he caught sight of his dad and...He stopped in his tracks like a deer caught in headlights. "What are you doing here?" Kevin demanded, harsher than he meant to. "I came to see you." Joaquin said. "To apologize." Mr.Keller looked toward Kevin, a brow lifted in question. Kevin shuffled over to the duo, his eyes locked on Joaquin's. "Haven't you done enough?" He asked softly, tilting his head, raising his eyebrows, and flaring his nostrils in pure Kevin style. "Just, let me apologize and explain my side of the story." Joaquin pressed. Mr.Keller bit down on the inside of his cheek and looked up at the ceiling. He wasn't really sure what was going on, but he also wasn't sure if he wanted to know. "Alright, Listen." Mr.Keller interjected. "I'm going to go to my office and sort through some paperwork. I have a feeling that I don't want to hear this conversation." He clasped Kevin on the shoulder. "Holler if you need me." He told his son pointedly. With that he left the two boys on their own. Silence crept in and Joaquin wondered what his next move should be. Kevin bit his lower lip and shook his head in disbelief. "Seriously. Why are you here?" He quickly lifted his hand, motioning to stop. "You know what? I don't want to know. You shouldn't have come here. You need to leave." He declared. "No." Joaquin said sternly, straightening his stance. Kevin looked at him like he wanted to murder him. "Excuse me? You can't just barge in here and expect all to be forgiven!" Kevin shouted. "How could you forgive OR condemn me without the full story?" Joaquin asked. They were both starting to get pissed. "I'm sure it would be a fascinating tale of woe and betrayal, but I'm not interested." Kevin said. They both stood there, staring each other down. Both angry, both hurt. Joaquin drew in a shaky breath and closed his eyes. 'Calm down. You didn't come here to fight.' He told himself. He opened his eyes on the exhale and looked intently at Kevin. "I'm sorry, Kev. For many things. But most of all, for hurting you." He admitted. Kevin wasn't fully convinced. "Like I said. Not Interested." He grabbed the handle to the front door and opened it. Using his other hand he gestured for Joaquin to leave. Still, Joaquin could see tears starting to form in Kevin's eyes. "Come on, Preppy." He quipped with a forced grin. "Don't call me that." Kevin ordered. "I can't leave. I won't just leave. Not again." Joaquin said. "Yes. You will." Kevin said in a whisper. A tear managed to fall, though Kevin tried his best to hold them back. "Babe, please." Joaquin pleaded. He came forward and brought his hand up to wipe the tear away. It killed him to be the cause of it. "I came back here because...because, I love you. I...I love you, Kevin. Please. Don't send me away." Tears fell freely from Kevin's eyes now. "Exactly what kind of angle are you trying to play?" He accused, his voice wavering. "You got what you wanted from me." Ouch, that cut deep. "Kevin. When I first met you at the drive-in, I didn't know who you were." Joaquin reminded him, hurt evident in his voice. Kevin remembered the shock on Joaquin's face when he realized his dad was the sheriff. "I never wanted to use you, to hurt you. And I would DIE before ever doing it again." Joaquin told him truthfully. Kevin slowly closed the front door. He really wanted to believe him. "Come on. Let's talk somewhere else." Kevin suggested. He cleared his throat, dabbed his tears with a sleeve, and lead Joaquin up the stairs to his room. Joaquin shut the bedroom door behind him. He didn't want Sheriff Keller overhearing any of their conversation. Kevin walked over to his desk chair and sat, spinning to face Joaquin. "Okay then." Kevin said, "Tell me your side of things."


	4. Happy Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's emotional. I cried when I wrote it.

Joaquin removed his leather jacket and hung it on a bedpost. The retelling of this previous year might take a while, so he might as well get comfortable. He sat on the edge of Kevin's bed, facing the taller boy, and clasped his hands together, looking down at them as he collected his thoughts. "The night I first met you, at the drive-in, I had no idea that Sheriff Keller was your dad. I wouldn't have approached you if I did. Some of the other Serpents that I was there with that night, they told FP about our make out session. At first he was pissed, but then he decided that it was good thing. Ordered me to keep close to you, so that I could make sure no one was on our trail." Joaquin explained. He looked up at Kevin to emphasize his next words. "Now, here's what you've got to understand, Kevin. I am a Southside Serpent. And we have laws that we adhere to, which is why I helped FP clean up his mess in the first place. It's also why I couldn't tell you what I knew about Jason's death. The rules, they're there for a reason. The Serpents, they're the only family I have. Besides, Kev, what would your reaction have been if I told you that I was an accomplice to Jason's murder?" Kevin's silence was his answer. "Exactly." Joaquin stood up from the bed. "The clean up job FP had me do, that happened before I ever met you. I didn't do a damn thing even remotely sketchy while we were together." He defended. Kevin also stood from his seat. He crossed his arms and walked a few steps towards the Serpent. "Yeah? And I suppose that had nothing to do with the fact that you were laying low after stashing a dead body in a freezer and cleaning up a crime scene." Kevin interjected in a hushed tone. He looked in the direction of the bedroom door, cautious about his dad overhearing them. Joaquin bit his lower lip and shook his head. Hurt by his ex's words. Mostly because they were true. He huffed out a cynical chuckle and looked up at the ceiling before returning his attention to Kevin. "Listen up Kev. Nothing that happened between us was ever fake. Sure, I relayed information about the case to FP. And sure, I withheld information from you..." Joaquin said, walking forward and stopping right in front Kevin. His facial expression softened as he spoke. "...But all of the time we spent together, all of the talks we had, every kiss between us, the way I felt about you...That was all real." Joaquin explained to him. "It's still real, and it still hurts." He said, voice cracking on the last word. "When we first met, I showed you my tattoo." He whispered accusingly. Joaquin brought his arm upward and rubbed a thumb over the exposed ink. He stared down at the double headed serpent. "I let you know who I was, and you told me that it wasn't a problem." Joaquin looked back up at Kevin's emerald eyes. "But you lied." He stated, words heavy with betrayal. Tears welled up in Kevin's eyes at the sting of those words. "Joaquin..." Kevin started, but then shook his head and stopped. He was unsure what to say and he felt his heart breaking all over again. "...I...I guess we're both to blame." He said finally, but his voice wavered. "I'm so sorry that I hurt you, Kevin. I never meant to hurt you." Joaquin told him truthfully. Tears fell from Kevin's eyes. He wiped them away with a sleeve and willed himself to stop crying. "I'm sorry too." He choked out. But with the words came more tears, and so he pulled Joaquin into a tight hug and buried his face into the shorter boy's t-shirt. No more words were exchanged for several minutes. Instead Joaquin held Kevin tightly in his strong arms and gently petted his hair to soothe him. When Kevin's tears stopped he continued to hold onto Joaquin for a while longer. When he did pull back he saw that Joaquin had also been crying. "Please, give me a chance to make it up to you." Joaquin said gently. "I don't want to lose you." He rested a hand against the curve of Kevin's face and Kevin leaned into the touch, closed his eyes, and sighed. He had missed the bad boy's touch, his scent, his voice. "You have to promise me that you'll trade in your life of crime for an honest one. And no more secrets." Kevin told him. "I promise." Joaquin said without hesitation. He leaned in to kiss Kevin softly on the lips, then pulled back and smiled. "Anything for you, Preppy." 

They spent the next hour cuddled together on Kevin's bed, talking. They talked about their pasts, their dreams, and the future. Kevin told Joaquin all about his plans for after high school. "Do you have any plans?" He asked. Joaquin shook his head in response. "I never saw a future for myself before I met you." Joaquin told him, running gentle fingers up and down Kevin's forearm. "I dropped out of school, but maybe I could do an apprenticeship, like as a mechanic or something." Joaquin shrugged. "I could see that." Kevin said. "My boyfriend, the mechanic." Kevin smiled. "So, we're officially boyfriends again?" Joaquin asked happily. Kevin grinned and nodded before kissing Joaquin. "How are you going to handle the other Serpents?" Kevin asked. "I don't think that I could have a life with you, if I stayed a member. They were my family when I had none and I will always be grateful for that. But you're my family now, Kev. Promise me that after your done with school, we'll move away from this town and get married." Joaquin said with a grin. Kevin laughed. "We're too young to be talking about marriage. But, I can definitely promise to move away with you after high school." He said. "Then I'll turn in my Serpent jacket to FP and find a new place to work." Joaquin promised. Kevin leaned forward and kissed him again. It started out gentle but quickly grew into something more heated. Soon, Kevin was straddling Joaquin, grinding against him as they made out. "God, I love you." Joaquin said while his hands massaged Kevin's ass and teased along the seam line of his pants. Kevin moaned and smiled into the kiss. "I love you too." He sat up and peeled off his shirt, throwing it across the room. Joaquin's hands reached up and undid Kevin's pants. He smiled wickedly, put an arm around Kevin's back, and then quickly sat up flipping Kevin onto his back now, roles reversed. He removed his t-shirt before sliding his body against his boyfriends, building friction and kissing him deeply when he his mouth met Kevin's. He grinded his hips down hard, drawing a filthy moan from Kevin. Then he proceeded to nip and kiss along the taller boy's jawline, down his neck, and then down his happy trail. He stopped at Kevin's waistband, where he roughly yanked Kevin's pants and boxers down, allowing his erection to spring free. Joaquin locked eyes with the other boy as he he licked Kevin's hard cock from the base to the tip, and then swallowed it greedily into his mouth."Fuck!" Kevin breathed as he tangled his hands into Joaquin's long hair and dropped his head back in ecstasy. Joaquin worshiped Kevin's cock with his tongue. Lapping, sucking, and swirling around the hard flesh. He enjoyed the sounds of Kevin hastily coming undone as he worked."Joaquin. Oh fuck, baby. I'm so close." Kevin moaned only minutes later. Joaquin picked up the pace and opened up his throat to take more of him in. Kevin came hard and Joaquin swallowed every bit of his load before pulling off of him. He plopped himself down by Kevin's side and took in the sight of him. His eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily. "Holy shit. That was amazing." He praised. Joaquin lavished him with gentle kisses as he came down from his high. 

In the morning, Joaquin woke up holding Kevin in his arms. He closed his eyes and smiled, so warm and content in this moment. He pulled Kevin in closer to him and nuzzled his face into the crook of his boyfriend's neck. Mmm...Joaquin hummed. Kevin stirred. He started laughing, pushing Joaquin away. "Your hot breath on my neck is tickling me." Joaquin raised an eyebrow suggestively. "Where would you like me to put it instead?" He teased. Kevin slowly sat up and yawned. He turned to Joaquin and dipped down for a quick kiss. Joaquin reached up and put his arms around him pulling him in. "Joaquin. My dad." Kevin said between kisses. Reluctantly, Joaquin let him slip away. He propped his head up with one of his hands and watched Kevin get dressed. "You're so goddamn sexy, Keller." Joaquin told him. "Thanks. Now, get dressed." Kevin chuckled. Joaquin groaned and threw his head back. "Ugh, do I have to?" Kevin nodded. Joaquin very reluctantly got out of the bed and grabbed his t-shirt off the floor. Kevin's gaze fell onto Joaquin's hips where his pants were riding dangerously low, and he licked his lips. Joaquin pulled his shirt over his head and put on his shoes. When he was ready, Joaquin followed Kevin down the stairs. "Dad?" Kevin called. "In the kitchen." His father responded. They rounded the corner and the sheriff took a break from flipping pancakes to raise a stern eyebrow at them. "Uh, dad, this is my boyfriend, Joaquin." Kevin introduced. His dad looked Joaquin over, his expression unreadable. "Good morning, Joaquin. I don't usually allow Kevin to have boys here overnight, but since you're already here, why don't you join us for breakfast?" He offered with the slightest hint of a smile. Joaquin let out a breath that he wasn't aware he was holding in. "Sounds great, sir." He answered, taking a seat at the table. Mr.Keller looked over to his son, a question in his eyes. "It's a long story. Why don't I tell you over breakfast?" Kevin suggested.


End file.
